Deer Isle-Stonington Birth to age five Enrollment Project, June 2, 2012

by
Jessica Brophy

In early June, superintendent Robert Webster shared birth numbers (and projected enrollment) for Deer Isle and Stonington for the next five years with the members of the Community School District school board.

The numbers indicate an ongoing trend of small incoming classes, with one slightly larger class of students born in 2011. Webster said the board reviews birth numbers as an “FYI” and to help with budgeting. When asked if numbers tend to move around before enrollment in kindergarten, Webster said there is some movement, but “not much surprise” when it comes time to enroll students.

Board member Vicki Zelnick said the trends are in line with the overall state numbers, which show no growth or a decline.

The low birth numbers mean that there are not any classes coming up that will need more than two classes per grade, according to the school board’s class size policy. If the numbers shift, there may be some grades that will only have one class, according to that policy. The CSD board said in its July meeting it will be looking into the possibility of multi-age classrooms over the next year.